covenant of grace is attefted by 'the three that bear record in heaven, it is fealed with the oath and blood of God, and register'd in the volume of his book; and therefore at any time when you go to a throne of grace for any mercy, keep your eye upon the bow of the covenant, and the faithfulness of God pledged therein, that so you may hope and trust and believe without staggering. 3. See hence the way how to be fupported and relieved under all preffures of trouble of whatever kind, whether from without or from within. My friends, you have been at a communion-table, and I hope you have been upon the mount with God feeding upon fat things full of marrow; now we are about to part, we are going out again to the wide world, and God knows what deep feas, what tempeftuous waves and torms from earth and hell may be abiding us: Well, whatever may befal you, I give you this advice, to keep your eyes always upon the rainbow of the covenant about the throne, of which you have been getting a fenfible feal in the facrament of the Lord's fupper, especially in the cafes following, and you fhall find wonderful relief and support, as David did to his experience. Pfal. xxvii. 13. I had fainted, unless I had believed to fee the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 1. Then perhaps, poor believer, a storm of vindictive wrath in appearance may blow from heaven, which will startle thy confcience to that degree, that thou shalt be made to cry, through a fenfe of guilt, and the impreffions of God's anger on thy foul, The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poifon thereof drinketh up my fpirits, the terrors of God fet themfelves in array against me. Well, if that happen happen to be thy cafe, as I know not but it may, look to the rainbow of the covenant about the throne, and there you fhall fee the faithfulness of God engaged, that vindictive wrath shall never touch thee. Read for this, Ifa. liv. 7, 8, 9, 10. There you fee the oath of God is past, that the deluge of vindictive anger fhall no more return to deftroy thee; and what more wouldst thou have? will unbelief dare to charge God with perjury? 2. Perhaps, believer, a ftorm of trouble from the world may blow upon thee, times of public calamity may come, days of perfecution for righteoufnefs fake, or if that fail, a ftorm of perfonal trial may be abiding thee; trouble in thy name, in thy eftate, in thy family or relations; the ftorm may blow fo hard as to sweep away all that is dear to thee in a world. Well, fay you, what fhall I do in that case? Why, my advice to you is to caft the eye of faith upon the bow of the covenant; and there thou shalt find what will chear and keep up thy heart; there thou shalt find thy covenanted God in Chrift promifeth his fympathy in all thy troubles. Ifa. lxiii. 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted. Pfal. ciii. 13. As a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. There you fhall find him engaged to go thro' the fire and water with thee. Ifa. xliii. 2. When thou paffeft through the waters I will be with thee. There you will find him engaging himself by covenant to carry thy head above. Ifa. xli. 10. Fear not, for I am with thee: I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. There thou shalt find him engag'd to bring thee fafely thro' all thy troubles: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord fhall deliver him out of them all. Thou shalt find that that thy light afflictions which are but for a moment, Shall work for thee a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 3. Perhaps a form from hell may be abiding thee, principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world; the armed legions of the bottomlefs pit, like the bulls of Bafhan, may ere long be pushing at thee. Well, in this cafe look to the throne of grace, and to the bow of the covenant that furrounds it, and thou fhalt find what may, and will relieve thee; you will find that Chrift has, according to the firft article of the covenant, bruifed the head of that ferpent, Spoiled principalities and powers, triumphed over them, and made a fhow of them openly on his crofs: he has deftroyed death, and him that had the power of death. There thou wilt find him engaged to ftand by thee, as thy leader and commander, to make thee tread Satan under thy feet Shortly: And by faith acted upon this covenant, thou art affured of the victory; yea, that thou art a conqueror, and more than a conqueror, through him that loved thee. 4. Perhaps, believer, thou may in a little time find the ftrong man of indwelling fin, like Sampson after his locks were cut, recover ftrength, and begin to rage in thy foul, infomuch that thou shalt be made to cry with the apoftle, Wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me! Well, in that cafe look to the throne of grace, and the bow of the covenant, and thou shalt find God engaging himself to give grace and mercy to help thee in this time of need. Rom. vi. 14. He has faid, fin fhall not have dominion over you. Micah vii. 19. I will fubdue their iniquities. Ezek. xxxvi. 25. From all their idols, and from all their filthiness will 1 cleanse them. Ifa. lix. 19. VOL. II. LI When When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up a standard against him. 5. Perhaps in a little time Satan and corruption together may give thee a trip, and lay thee on thy back, and as it were tread thee in a mire, so that thy own cloaths fhall abhor thee; and what fhall be done in that cafe? Well, even in that cafe look up to the throne, and behold the exalted prince that gives repentance and remiffion of fin, that he may lift thee up again, and by the blood of his covenant bring thee out of the pit wherein there is no water. Take a view of the bow of the covenant, and thou wilt find written upon the arch of this bow, That though thou haft lien among the pots, he will make thee like the wings of a dove covered with filver, and ber feathers with yellow gold. Liften to his voice that fits upon the throne, and thou wilt hear him faying, though thou haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, faith the Lord. 6. Perhaps a black and melancholy night of defertion may overtake thee in thy way; God may hide, and thou be brought to cry with the church, The Lord bath forfaken, and my God hath forgotten. Well, though thou walk in darkness, and fee no light, yet trust in the name of the Lord, ftay thyself upon him by virtue of the covenant as thy God; for here he is engaged, that he will be thy God for ever, that he will never leave thee nor forfake thee as to his real presence; and that though weeping may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning: For a little moment have I forfaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy redeemer. 7. Perhaps 7. Perhaps you may fall under the melancholy fears and apprehenfions, that thou shalt be fo left of God, as to prove an apoftate in the end. Well, look up to the bow of the covenant about the throne, and thou wilt find fecurity against that alfo. Phil. i. 6. He that hath begun the good work in thee will perform it until the day of Chrift. The righteous fhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands fhall wax ftronger and fronger. Grace and glory are connected by the covenant fo infeparably, that they can never be divorced. Pfal. Ixxxiv. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory. 8. Perhaps you may in a little time fall under a melancholy deadness and indifpofition of heart; the Spices of the garden, that seem now to be fending out their fmell, may wither, and thou may be crying, I am a dry tree: Well, in that cafe look up to the throne of grace, and thy glorious head fitting on the throne; and thou wilt fee thy life in him: Our life is bid with Chrift in God; because I live, ye shall live alfo; after two days he will revive us, and in the third day we fhall live in his fight. I will be as the dew to Ifrael, and they shall revive as the corn. Hos. vi. and xiv. Chapters. 9. Perhaps the terrors of death may shortly take hold on thee, poor believer; the dark curtains of the grave, and the fhadows of the land of forgetfulness, may begin to ftretch themselves upon thee: O! what shall be done in that cafe? I answer, even in that cafe, look up and take hold of the bow of the covenant furrounding the throne; as David did when his latter end was approaching. Tho' my boufe be not fo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlafting covenant, ordered in all things, and fure: And this is all my falvation and all my defire. The fame L12 holy |